Denise Stewart to serve two years in prison after child dies at illegal daycare in Stuarts Draft

AUGUSTA COUNTY, Va. (WHSV) – The Stuarts enlisted woman convicted He was sentenced Monday afternoon in Augusta County Circuit Court in the death of a 22-month-old girl.

Denise Stewart will serve a total of two years in prison, according to online court records.

Stewart was running an unlicensed nursery in Stuarts Draft where Ava Cloonan, one of the babies in her care, died.

On October 18, 2022, the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office was called to the Stewart home for an unresponsive baby. CPR was performed, but authorities determined that the almost 2-year-old Ava could not be resuscitated.

Ava was one of 13 children in the home under Stewart’s care at the time.

Stewart was initially charged with 13 counts of child abuse, but eventually pleaded guilty and was convicted on one count of neglecting a child and two counts of welfare fraud.

He was sentenced on each charge as follows:

Abuse of a Child, Disregard for Life – Class 6 Felony
- Sentence: 1 year 6 months
- Probation: 2 years, supervised
Fraud Obtaining Wealth>=$1,000 – Felony
- Sentence: 5 years, 4 years and 6 months suspended
- Probation: 2 years, supervised
False Welfare Application, Perjury – Class 5 Felony
- Sentence: 5 years, 5 years suspended
- Probation: 2 years, supervised

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